Meme Scholar with Madness (PhD)

[EndtheMadnessNow]

April 25, 1983, the Soviet Union released Yuri Andropov's reply letter to Maine elementary school student, Samantha Smith. Smith had written in 1982 asking the Russian leader if he was going to "vote to have a [nuclear] war." Smith died in a plane crash in 1985.






Yuri Andropov Letter to Samantha

Samantha Smith (June 29, 1972 – August 25, 1985) was an American peace activist and child actress from Manchester, Maine, who became famous for her anti-war outreaches during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

After the release of Russian leader Yuri Andropov's response letter, Samantha Smith appeared on Nightline, The Tonight Show (twice), Donahue and other shows. After touring the Soviet Union, she wrote a book, "Journey to the Soviet Union". In 1984 she appeared with a Simon LeBon poster on "Charles in Charge."



Samantha Smith being interviewed by Ted Koppel on ABC Nightline on April 25, 1983:



I remember as a kid watching Samantha Smith on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - July 28, 1983:




1985 USSR stamp with "Samant[h]a Smit[h]" in Russian.


At the time of her tragic death in a plane crash (her father also died), she was a cast member in Robert Wagner's ABC series LIME STREET. She appeared in 5 of the show's 8 episodes - all aired after her death and there is a dedication to her in the credits of the pilot.




Following her death, both President Ronald Reagan and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev offered their public condolences. Smith's pen pal, Yuri Andropov had died on February 9, 1984.



Statue of Samantha Reed Smith in Augusta, Maine and the tomb of Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov [1914-1984] in Red Square in Moscow.



Trivia: There was a "Soviet Sam" who toured the U.S. in 1986 and even met President Reagan at the White House. No one seems to know the current whereabouts of Katerina "Katia" Lycheva.